In a short clip posted on November 25, Tim Cook said he highly appreciated his Chinese partners. “We couldn’t do what we do without them,” he said in response to a question from a local newspaper.

Apple CEO appeared at the China International Supply Chain Expo, which opened on November 26. This was his first time attending the exhibition.

His latest trip to China underscores the importance of the market to Apple, even as the company looks to diversify its manufacturing supply chain away from the mainland to counter geopolitical risks.

Tim Cook Bloomberg
Apple CEO Tim Cook has visited China at least three times this year. Photo: Bloomberg

Competition from domestic brands has hurt iPhone sales here. Although domestic rivals such as Xiaomi and Huawei have announced AI software on their devices, Apple is still waiting for approval from authorities.

Huawei is set to launch its flagship Mate 70 on November 26. The company's official online store shows that more than 3 million people have registered to pre-order the new smartphone as of today. However, customers do not need to make a deposit.

Despite the popularity of the iPhone 16 globally, iPhone sales in China fell sharply by double digits on the 11/11 super sale day, according to research firm Counterpoint. In contrast, Huawei smartphone sales increased by 7%.

Apple's latest financial report shows that its revenue in the 12 months (ending September 28) decreased by 7.7% in the region including China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

Amid growing challenges, in March, Tim Cook traveled to Shanghai, meeting with game developers, film producers and the billionaire founder of electric car maker BYD.

In October, he traveled to Beijing and met with top Chinese officials, including the Minister of Industry and Information Technology and the Minister of Commerce.

(According to SCMP)